Lead The Way
by Benali
Summary: When the team needs help finding a missing child, Vance calls in a K9 unit to assist. No one expects things to work out as well as they do.
1. Chapter 1

_ Ding._

The elevator doors slid open as Gibbs stepped out, walked through the bullpen, and slammed his coffee in front of a startled agent.

"McGee! There had best be a good reason you didn't call me last night with any updates. I hope it's not because you were sleeping."

"No boss. I'm still working on sorting out cell records from the perp. He's a fan of burn phones, not much to work with."

"Good answer McGee. Because nobody sleeps until Sergeant Moline has his daughter back and that guy," he said, pointing to a clip from surveillance footage, "is behind bars."

"Rough night Gibbs?" Vance was looking down from the railing outside his office.

"You could say that."

"If you have a minute, I need to see you in my office. I have a proposal to make. You just might be interested."

As Gibbs turned on his heel and ascended the stairs, a curious look passed between McGee and his fellow agents, Tony and Ziva.

* * *

"So how's the case coming?" Vance started.

"Not as well as we'd like, but we're doing the best we can. My agents haven't slept in a day and a half, and we're no closer than when we started. No cell phone records, no bank transactions, no names, nothing. All we have to go on is the footage from the house across the road. We have theories as to the motive, but they all rest on the assumption that the wreck was intentional.

"Well if your theory is correct, and the missing girl is somewhere in those woods, you're going to need help finding her. That's a lot of ground to cover. I've arranged for some assistance."

"Well your assistance better get here fast. My team leaves in 15 minutes to start scouring the area. We plan on searching a five mile radius from the scene of the accident."

"No worries Agent Gibbs. I believe they should be waiting just outside the door." Vance replied with a smirk. He phoned his secretary's desk saying, "You can send them in now."

* * *

The door opened as a middle aged woman and her large German Shepherd entered the office.

"You must be Officer Cooper. My name is Leon Vance and I am the Director of NCIS. This is Special Agent Gibbs, head of our Major Case Response Team. You will be working with Gibbs and his team on the Moline case."

"A pleasure to meet you both," Sam Cooper replied. She reached to shake their hands, receiving a tight smile from Agent Gibbs in return.

Vance continued, "As you are already aware, Tuesday at approximately 2200 hours there was an automobile accident on Route 4 outside of Rock Creek Park near Hawthorne. The vehicle ran off the road, went through the guard rail, and rolled down a small embankment where it finally stopped. The driver, 30 year old Melissa Moline, was unconscious when first responders found her. When she woke, she realized that her 6 year old daughter, Hanna, was missing from the vehicle. Hanna's seat belt had been cut and the door had been pried away from the damaged car."

"Who made the 911 call?" Sam asked.

"There was a house across the road. The residents heard the crash and made the call, but did not go outside. They did, however, have a camera on the front of their house that caught the blurry image of a large man approaching the car and carrying the girl away from the scene and into the trees. He appears to be around 5'8", 180 pounds, and has dark hair."

"We were just getting ready to head out and do a search of the area near the accident. He arrived on foot, no tire tracks at the scene. He had to have taken Hanna out to a hideout somewhere in the trees," Gibbs said.

"Why does NCIS have an interest in a missing children's case?"

"Her father is Marine Gunnery Sergeant Jacob Moline. We believe the child was taken to fulfill a ransom plan," Vance answered.

"Yep. And it's our job to find her before things get out of hand. You coming or not?" Gibbs snapped.

"Lead the way."


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs walked briskly through the bull pen, grabbing his coffee as he passed his desk.

"Let's go people. We have a kid to find, and the clock is ticking."

Everyone grabbed their bags and followed their boss and the new canine officer into the elevator, giving the dog a wide berth.

"So boss, you going to introduce us?" Tony asked, tilting his head towards Sam Cooper.

"Nope, you're a big boy Dinozzo. I think you can handle it."

"Forgive me," Sam cut in. "I'm K9 Officer Sam Cooper, and this is my partner Diesel."

"Partner?" McGee asked.

"Yes, Diesel and I have been working together for two years now."

"What kind of work do you do?" Ziva asked.

"Diesel is not the first dog I've had, but he is certainly the most talented. He can do a variety of jobs, including search and rescue, bomb and drug sniffing, and protection of course. He's trained in his native German language, so don't be surprised if I speak in tongues," she added with a smile. "My other partner, Taser, passed away just last year. He and I worked at Ground Zero and searched the rubble for survivors. I believe it was our work there that caught Vance's attention."

"Well it's an honor to work with you Officer Cooper. You just may be the solution to finding Hanna," McGee said.

"I hope so. And please, call me Sam."

* * *

They had arrived at the garage by then. Tony started to climb in the Charger, yelling "Shotgun!" as he did so, but was reminded that they would no longer all fit in the small car. Ziva ended up taking the front seat next to Gibbs, and Tony was forced to climb in the back with McGee, Sam, and Diesel.

By the time they made it to the woods, McGee was complaining of car sickness. The van had no windows in the back, and Gibbs' driving could make anybody queasy. Even Diesel lied on the floor and whimpered quietly to himself as the large van whipped around tight turns and sped onward.

They decided to break off into teams. Ziva and Gibbs headed North, following the road up into park, and deeper into the trees. Tony and McGee headed South, with the same intentions. Sam and Diesel decided to head directly East, straight into the thick brush as they attempted to stay on a fading deer path. Gibbs had been thoughtful enough to grab a jacket of Hanna's that was left in the car at the accident. Sam gave this to Diesel now, saying "Sook," which meant search in German. He buried his nose deep in the purple fabric, taking only a few moments to lock in on his new goal. Then, with ears erect and nose leading the way, he took off weaving through the trees.

He was searching the air for a trace of scent from the night before, and Sam waited patiently for the signal he was onto something. They continued weaving as he looked for a taste of Hanna on the wind, in the grass, or on a tree. Finally, after jogging a half a mile in he froze, turned, and looked at her, tail high. He had the scent.

"Sook" she encouraged him, and he took off at a determined pace now, focused only on pleasing his master by finding the one person she sought. Sam pulled out her phone and was lucky enough to have a cell signal.

"Gibbs," a gruff voice answered.

"He's got it," she said.

"Wait where you are. We're on our way."


	3. Chapter 3

The team met up in a large clearing surrounded by thick overgrowth. Once they all seemed ready Sam again told Diesel to "Sook" and led the way as they started down the path once more. After another few hundred yards they approached the edge of another clearing with caution. Across the flat sat a small cabin with boarded windows and a ramshackle porch that wrapped around the front and side. There was no sign of any vehicle or ATV having been there, but Sam silently pointed out a set of fresh boot prints in the soft earth. The crept forward quietly, Gibbs giving hand signals to direct their positions. He placed himself at the front door while Ziva and Tony scanned the perimeter for any sign of life. On the count of three Gibbs kicked the front door in, pistol at the ready.

"NCIS. Federal Agents!"

There was no immediate reply and Diesel proceeded to enter the structure. The bullet proof vest he wore gave the dog a sense of authority, even when surrounded by so many men. As Gibbs cleared the house room by room the dog stalked towards the last closed door, which appeared to be a small closet. Sam slowly opened the door, gun at the ready. But what she found was a small child, bound and gagged, sitting in the corner as she shook in fear. Diesel sniffed her all over, elated at having found what he sought. He kept looking back at Sam as if to say, "Look! Look what I found!"

"Yes, Yes. Bravy," she praised him. "Bravy sook."

Sam leaned in to pull the cloth from the girl's mouth and untie the rope that bound her wrists. She held her finger to her lips and whispered, "Where is he?"

"I don't know! I don't know! Where's my mom?" the girl sobbed.

"Shh. We're the good guys," Gibbs assured her, having come up behind Sam to see the child. "You're mom is fine. She's been very worried about you."

He reached in and lifted the girl from her place on the floor. As Gibbs headed for the door his phone rang.

"Boss, just sighted movement off in the trees to the west, in the direction of the highway. Was there anyone else in the house?"

"No one. Go get 'em Dinozzo."

As they stepped on to the porch off in the distance they could hear Ziva yelling for the suspect to stop and drop his weapon. Then shots rang out. Diesel started barking, looking to Sam for instruction.

"Take the girl Cooper. I'll worry about him."

"No," she replied. "This is what Diesel and I are here to do." With that she took off at a sprint, Diesel leading the way.

"Nice to know she can take an order," Gibbs muttered under his breath. Left with no other choice, he carried Hanna Moline in the direction of the car, wondering if he should continue, or find her a spot to hide while he went off to assist his team.

* * *

It didn't take long for Sam and Diesel to catch up to Ziva, Tony, and McGee. She saw McGee first as he jogged a large circle around where Tony and Ziva were stationed ahead, perhaps hoping to cut the shooter off farther down the path. Diesel charged on, until Sam yelled for him to "Pass Auf." He slowed his pace, taking more time to search the surrounding brush, and waited for his handler to catch up. It was still plain to see however, that he very much wanted a taste of the shooter.

"Is anyone hit?" Sam asked upon reaching the two agents.

"No. The man is a very bad shot." Ziva said.

"Good. What's he got?"

"22 pistol," Tony replied.

"Diesel, voraus." The dog resumed his mission, headed towards the sound of breaking branches and the man stumbled through the trees.

"NCIS! Drop your weapon!" Tony tried once again to persuade the man to give it up. Unfortunately, the shooter did not see the 80 pounds of fur and fangs until it was right on top of him. He attempted to squeeze the trigger one last time, but was not successful.

"Fass!" Sam commanded, and the dog's jaws clamped around the man's arm, applying over 328 pounds of pressure.

"Alright alright!" the man screamed. "Call the dog off! Call it off!" Tears were now rolling down his cheeks, but Sam couldn't see any blood.

"Drop your weapon," Ziva asked once more.

With that, the man dropped his gun. Tony reached in to grab it and Sam gave Diesel the command to release. "Aus."

He was reluctant to let go, but returned to her side, never taking his eyes off of the man lying on the ground. Tony smoothly rolled him to the side and snapped cuffs onto his wrists. As he pulled the man to his feet Sam was able to see the damage done. It wasn't the worst she'd seen, but the man would need a visit to a doctor before being released to prison. Diesel had done well.


End file.
